Freedom of Information

I am writing this to make people aware of the "possible" power of freedom of information. For those unaware, when I originally tried to obtain records to find out information on my donor, on 3 separate occasions I was told:

“The records are lost and we don’t know where they are”

“The records are destroyed”

“There are no records”

So I had 3 different stories. Which story was I supposed to believe?

Now technically these records are my mother’s treatment records and the procedure while carried out in a clinic, occurred in a public hospital. Under Freedom of Information (FOI) here we are entitled to obtain our own medical records. So I asked my mother to apply for her treatment records and delivery/postnatal records.

And guess what? Her treatment records with the donor code miraculously turned up along with the huge delivery/postnatal record tome (I have written about the problems of record keeping previously).

So here’s the gist. Even if a clinic tells you that records were destroyed over the phone or in person, do not accept it as fact until you (or should I say the relevant “legal” person) has applied for them in writing and through the official avenues.

With this example and the many others that I have heard of, how is any member of the triad; patients, “donors”, or most importantly offspring going to believe the word of the clinic and have trust in them. Not likely…………….